Burnham Week 2019 - Day 7

Day 7 was breezy but dry and another fantastic sailing day on the Crouch, with a Southerly breeze.

At the start for Class One Jackal was first to cross the line, with Jeannie, John Saunders' Elan 31 next to follow with Lizzie Brown in Intense third. She quickly overhauled the smaller Elan to leeward and then got through Jackal, owned by Digger Harden, Mike Schneidau and Richard Oram to lead the fleet for the remainder of the race. On corrected time, Jackal won with Intense second. Jeannie was just 8 seconds behind. For the midweek points Jackal won overall on 3 points, with Jeannie second on 6 points and Intense third on 7.

Class 5 had five start today and all looked stunning in the breeze heading up river on the wind. Before the gun, Cezanne the 707 sailed by Tony Hall, Grace and Danger the SJ 27 owned by Andrew Courts and Stephen Gosling and Ant Law's elegant Folk boat Tifano all had to spill the wind to ensure that they were not swept up OCS with the flood tide. Spring Chicken and Eclipse were further down river fully powered up. At the gun, Cezanne crossed first closely followed by Grace and Danger and Tifano. Eclipse powered through Spring Chicken, who were only two up today, to leeward before the down river end of Essex Marina and also managed to get through Tifano early on. By Creeksea Eclipse had got the on the water lead with Cezanne second on the water.

At the back of the fleet, Spring Chicken who didn't set a spinnaker all race enjoyed close racing with Tifano. On both up river legs, Tifano took the North Shore and enjoyed excellent lifts both times getting her ahead of Chicken. At the finish, Eclipse crossed first with the 707 next, Grace and Danger finished third. Tifano and Spring Chicken battled all the way to the line with Chicken gaining to leeward as the line approached. Tifano finished just a second ahead of the Spring. On corrected time Eclipse beat Tifano by just 26 seconds to take first. Overall for the midweek, Grace and Danger won with Eclipse runners up.

Class 6 saw Traigh owned by Dan Tribe really enjoy the heavier winds, getting the best start ahead but to leeward of Richard Moore in Ophelia with the Contessa 32 Spangle also sailing well in the conditions. Ophelia took the lead and led on the water with Traigh second and David Hill in Spangle third. On corrected time Ophelia won, winning the Dangerous Moonlight trophy, with Spangle second. Overall, Richard Moore in Ophelia has won the midweek points.

In the day boat classes who raced down river from Phoebe, Anarchy, Chip Cole, won in the Dragons with Clive Page in Pageboy second and Avalanche third. Overall, the top three are all on 6 points, with Anarchy taking first, Pageboy second and Quicksilver third.

In the Squibs Spoof won again today to take the series on three points. Lady Penelope sailed by Malcolm Hutchins second and Robert Coyle in Humphrey third.

In the RCOD class Justin Waples in Cormorant took the win to take the series, with Martin Makey in Corinna second and Sue Law in Coralie third.

The RBOD fleet was won today by Stephen Herring in Red Jacket with Onyx sailed by Roger Martin second, with Mandarin third. Overall, Red Jacket won, with Will Dallimore in Mandarin second and Blue Jacket, Jonathan Beckett third.